Sulphur Springs Woman Jailed On Felony Warrant
A 29-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was jailed on a felony warrant late Wednesday night.
Brittany Leigh George reportedly arrived at Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office lobby and turned herself in at 11:02 p.m. Sept. 16, 2020, on a warrant for manufacture or delivery of 4 grams or more but less than 200 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. She was escorted into the jail by Deputy Nick Marney and booked on the charge. The charge was alleged to have occurred in May of 2019, according to arrest reports.
George remained in the county jail Thursday, Sept. 17, on the warrant, according to jail reports.
3 Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinics Offered For CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Patients
By Holly Ragan, Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
Are you an existing patient of CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic? Take advantage of our drive-thru flu shot clinics on:
- Friday, September 18, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Thursday, September 24, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Friday, October 2, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
You do not need to call ahead, but should be an existing patient, and bring your insurance card with you. The location of the drive-thru is the circle drive under the awning, directly in front of the hospital by the main entrance.
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro
and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother
Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-
term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic.
CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41
counties.
For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
DSHS, TEA Launch Webpage With Texas Public Schools COVID-19 Case Data
The overall number of COVID-19 cases reported by Texas public schools was reported Sept. 17 on the Texas Department of State Health Services website. Beginning Sept. 23, Texas Education Agency, working in collaboration with DSHS, will weekly provide public schools COVID-19 case data by school district on the TEA website.
The reported count of on-campus student cases of COVID-19 in the state’s public schools is 2,344 out of an estimated 1.1 million students who have been on campus for instruction or activities since the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. The total count of on-campus staff cases during the same period is 2,175, according to press releases from TEA and TDSHS.
The number of student and staff COVID-19 cases in Texas public schools will be updated each Wednesday, and starting next week will include data by school district on TEA’s COVID-19 website.
TEA previously directed all school districts to submit information about COVID-19 cases going back to the start of the school year. Information is submitted via an online form each Monday by those school systems that were notified in the previous week that a student, teacher, or staff member who participates in any on-campus activity has tested positive for a current COVID-19 infection. Antibody tests, which indicate a previous infection, are not required to be reported.
The data, according to the state agencies, is intended to “provide an overview of the burden of disease in Texas schools over time and inform public policy decisions about COVID-19.”
Reporting this information to the state does not replace the legal requirement that schools notify public health officials in their area of all cases, for Hopkins County, notification would be made to the Local Health Authority. Schools will also still be required to inform all parents, teachers, and campus staff of any positive cases tied to their on-campus instruction or activities, per TEA guidelines.
When a student or employee case is reported to the school district, the designated school personnel begin a case investigation, which includes contacting any individuals determined to be in “close contact” with the infected individual.
According to the LHA, “close contact” is defined as being “within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more to an infected person.” LHA Nurse Brynn Smith noted that not all exposures are the same. High-risk exposures require a “14-day quarantine no matter what.” Critical Infrastructure personnel may differ.
The LHA recommends waiting at least 3-5 days or until symptoms begin before being tested to ensure accuracy. Most favorable is 5-7 days after the last known exposure.
Students and staff determined by the school or LHA to have been in close contact with a COVID-19 infected person will be directly notified as soon as possible; they will be required to remain off campus for up to 14 days to ensure they do not have the virus, so that there will not be any further spread.
An exposed household (considered high-risk exposures) needs to quarantine as well. Proper isolation and quarantine is key to reduce spread.
For those with symptoms, isolation may end after 10 days, provided the individual has had no fever and or symptoms without medications for 24 hours. The length of isolation may also depend on severity of symptoms and person’s health history.
Individuals who test positive but do not have COVID-19 symptoms may be able to end isolation 10 days after test results are received, if they experience no onset of symptoms for the duration of their isolation.
3 Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported For SSISD Campuses
By Ross LaBenske
Sulphur Springs ISD Assistant Superintendent Josh Williams over the past three days received information regarding 3 additional COVID-19 cases reported for SSISD campuses.
On Sept. 17, Williams reported a student who was lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 was present at Douglass ECLC during the week of Sept. 7-11.
On Sept. 11, a Sulphur Springs Middle School student was lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. The student was reported to be at SSMS. This marks the first middle school student to be confirmed to have COVID-19 since school started Sept. 1.
On Sept. 14, a Sulphur Springs Middle School student was lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. The student was reported to have been present at SSMS, with 2 students confirmed to have COVID-19 in almost as many days.
On Sept. 13, 2 middle school teachers who were present on campus during the week of Sept. 8-11 were lab-confirmed to have COVID-19.
Two Bowie Primary students — one who was on campus Sept. 1-3 and another who was on campus Sept. 1, 2 and 4 — were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19.
On Sept. 9, a Travis Primary School student and Sulphur Springs Elementary teacher, who were each on their respective campus the week before, tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019.
On Sept. 8, a SSISD bus driver also was reported to have COVID-19. The individual drove a bus Sept. 1-4, according to SSISD reports.
| SSISD Campus | Student | Employee |
| Austin Academic Center | 0 | 0 |
| Barbara Bush Primary | 0 | 0 |
| Bowie Primary | 2 | 0 |
| Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center | 1 | 0 |
| Lamar Primary | 0 | 0 |
| Travis Primary | 1 | 0 |
| Sulphur Springs Elementary | 0 | 1 |
| Sulphur Springs Middle School | 2 | 2 |
| Sulphur Springs High School | 3 | 0 |
| Other (bus driver, special services, admin. etc.) | 0 | 1 |
Wildcats Team Tennis Coach Finds Silver Lining in Loss at Texas High
The Wildcats Team Tennis squad absorbed a 19-0 loss to district juggernaut Texas High in Texarkana Tuesday afternoon. Wildcats Tennis Coach Tony Martinez found some things to like in his players. He said all of his players came off the court saying that they played better than usual. He said no one’s head was down and there was no complaining. Coach Martinez said a common theme was that players said they got to deuce in a lot of points but could not get the next big ones. He said the players were also discussing things they need to improve on in their games. Coach Martinez said they lost on the court but won mentally off the court. He said that’s all he can ask of the players. Several Wildcats did better than 6-0 or 6-1 scores. The boys doubles’ team of Tate Smith and Alex Romero lost a 6-2 game. The mixed doubles’ team of Jeauxleigh Cantu and Carlos Lopez-Sardinas lost 6-2, 6-2. Lopez-Sardinas lost his boys singles match, 8-3. Romero lost a set of boys doubles, 6-2. Cantu and Harleigh Stegient both lost in girls’ singles, 8-4. Coach Martinez said you can’t help but notice all the signs of past successes when you visit Texas High. He said Texarkana is a great tennis town and he said Texas High has had great coaches. He said Tigers’ players play just about every weekend. Coach Martinez said that concept can be a hard sell for him with kids that enjoy doing other things. Still he said he is trying to build the sport here. He hoped an event last Monday becomes the start of something big. Coach Martinez had a middle school practice that usually draws a half dozen kids or so. Last Monday he was amazed when 24 kids showed up. He said that’s how something big for local tennis can get started. The Wildcats, 1-1 in district play and 2-1 overall, continue district play next Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Longview at the Wildcat Tennis Center.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Hopkins County Sept. 17 COVID-19 Update: 5 New Cases Reported, 59 More Tests Conducted
For the second day in a row, Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials reported 5 new positive COVID-19 cases, but no recoveries, and the number of patients in the COVID-19 unit at the local hospital doubled.
At the current rate of increase in COVID-19 cases, Hopkins County’s cumulative COVID-19 case count is likely to rise above 300 within the next week. Twelve new cases were reported during the first 7 days of Hopkins County, 26 the week of Sept. 8-14, and 10 so far this week. That’s 48 Hopkins County residents who have received positive molecular PCR tests from Sept. 1-17.
The 5 cases reported Sept. 17 increases the active case count to 72 and the cumulative number of Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March to 291.
In only 4 of the last 17 days have HC/SSEM officials reported COVID recoveries: 6 of Sept. 6, 5 on Sept. 8, 5 on Sept. 11 and 7 on Sept. 14. The 23 recoveries reported so far this month increase the cumulative number of Hopkins County residents who have recovered from COVID-19 since March to 219.
The number of patients in the COVID-19 units in CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs doubled from 4 patients on Wednesday Sept. 16 to 8 on Sept. 17 — the most the HC/SSEM officials have reported since August.
An additional 59 COVID-19 molecular-PCR tests were performed at Hopkins County Regional Civic Center Wednesday, increasing the overall total of COVID tests conducted at the facility since free weekly was first offered on Sept. 7 to 501.
Free COVID-19 testing will continue to be offered at the Civic Center, 1200 Houston St. in Sulphur Springs, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, Sept. 19.
Symptoms are not required for testing. Children can be tested, provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration for testing is conducted online at GoGetTested.com. Scroll down to register.
Texas Health and Human Services Department on Sept. 17 reported two employees at Carriage House Manor had recovered and two new positive cases of COVID-19 among employees at Carriage House Manor on Sept. 3, the most recent data reported for nursing homes. No resident cases of COVID-19 had been reported for any Sulphur Springs nursing home through Sept. 3.
There were no active COVID-19 cases reported at the assisted living facilities in Sulphur Springs as of Sept. 3. Also, no active COVID-19 cases were reported at the child care centers in Hopkins County on Sept. 16, according to HHS reports.
No additional COVID fatalities had been assigned to Hopkins County on Sept. 17, so the total number of Hopkins County residents who were ruled on death certificates to have died as a result of COVID-19 remains 8, according to Texas Department of State Health Services reports.
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner Discusses Team Against Greenville on Tuesday
Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner said her team played well against a tough Greenville Team in a 3-2 loss at Greenville in the non-district season opener for both teams Tuesday. Coach Dorner said after the Lady Cats struggled against the Lady Lions in scrimmage games Saturday, she was glad to see them play better two days later. She said the Lady Cats played hard, competed and hung with Greenville in all five sets. Coach Dorner also commented on the Lady Cats taking a fourth set to send the match into a decisive fifth set. She said she teaches her team to be mentally tough. Coach Dorner said she tells them they can’t go back and change things that happen. She said all they can do is move forward. She said the Lady Cats fought and did not lay down and just give the match to Greenville in the fourth set. Coach Dorner said it was good for the Lady Cats to know they can hang with a solid team like Greenville. She said the Lady Lions have tons of club players who play year round and it shows as they play well as a unit and often hit on all cylinders. She said the Lady Cats have to get to that point and she added that they would but she also said it would take time. Coach Dorner said the team does needs to improve as rapidly as possible noting that district play takes place by the end of month. Coach Dorner said her team played better defense Tuesday and did a better job of moving their feet to get into position. She said she wants to see improvement in the Lady Cats serve receive and in outside blocking. Next the Lady Cats, 0-1 for the season, travel to Frisco Heritage for a Friday evening game at 6:30 p.m. The Coyotes are coached by Coach Dorner’s cousin Jeni Maxton.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Click here for more Wildcat and Lady Cat Sports
Wildcats Football Has Only Scrimmage Versus Mount Pleasant at The Prim Thursday Night
The Wildcats Football Team will have their one and only scrimmage Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Mount Pleasant at Gerald Prim Stadium. The 7 p.m. Varsity scrimmage will come after a JV and Freshman scrimmage starting at 5 p.m. Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens described the scrimmage as like a game with controlled special teams. Tickets for the scrimmage cost #2 and must be purchased in advance on line at www.ssisd.net. This is an eagerly anticipated scrimmage for Coach Owens and his staff as they will get the chance to evaluate the Wildcats against another team. The two long time rivals have not played since 2017, the last year they were in the same district. The Wildcats won that game by the way.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
New Tai Ji Quan Class for Local Seniors at The Roc
According to Karon Weatherman of the Sulphur Springs Seniors Center, the Tai Ji Quan class will be moving to the ROC starting on Monday, September 28th at a new time. We will keep the class there until the Senior Citizens Center opens back up.
Instructor Karen Moseley will still be teaching the Class every Monday and Thursday but is moving the class to 11:00 AM. See attached Flyer.
The Class is FREE. Come take advantage of this class which builds better balance. You can still come even if you have never attended the Senior Citizens Center Class. And bring your friends!
Overall Enrollment At SSISD Down Slightly 2 Weeks Into 2020-21 Year
Lamar 3rd Graders, SSHS Juniors Have Highest Grade Level Percentages Of Virtual Academy Enrollment
Enrollment was down slightly at Sulphur Springs ISD for the 2020-21 school year, with 4,380 students enrolled at SSISD, attending either face-to-face classes on the district’s 8 campuses or Virtual Academy as of the second week of classes, Sulphur Springs Superintendent Michael Lamb reported this week. That’s 40 fewer students attending this year than during the same time period in 2019.
There are 26 fewer students enrolled at Douglass Early Childhood Learning Center; the next biggest change was in the size of the Lamar kindergarten class, according to information provided by Lamb at the Sept. 14 SSISD Board of Trustees meeting.
There are 277 kindergarten students, 321 first graders, 315 second graders and 376 third graders enrolled at the four primary campuses. Of the 1,290 students enrolled at primary campuses, 312 are assigned to Bowie, 335 to Bush, 352 to Lamar and 290 to Travis.
This year, 883 students district-wide enrolled in the Virtual Academy. That’s almost 20 percent of all SSISD students opting for online learning offered due to COVID-19.
Lamar has the highest campus percentage of VA students; 31 percent (109 of the campus’ 352 students) are enrolled in VA. That’s due largely to the fact that 54 percent of the Lamar Primary third grade class is enrolled in Virtual Academy, the largest percent for a single grade level district-wide. That’s 79 out of 147 third graders enrolled at Lamar who are attending VA classes.
Juniors account for the next largest grade level of VA students; 75 of SSISD 11th graders (31 percent) are enrolled in VA. Campus-wide, 260 of the 1,271 students (20 percent) enrolled at Sulphur Springs High School opted for VA learning this year. Only 16 percent of freshmen, 22 percent of sophomores and 21 percent of seniors are enrolled in VA. The smallest grade level of VA students at high school is ninth grade, where only 53 of 335 students (16 percent) are in VA. Only 22 percent (71 of the 322 students) of 10th graders signed up for VA. Twenty-one percent of the senior class signed up for VA, that’s 61 of the 296 students in the 12th grade class attending VA.
Overall, Douglass had 198 students, including 19 percent enrolled in virtual academy. That’s 26 percent of early childhood special education students, 13 percent of Head Start 3, 19 percent of Head Start 4 and 26 percent of prekindergarten students at Douglass are enrolled in VA.
Eighteen percent (56 of 312 students) of Bowie Primary students are enrolled in VA. By grade level, 16 percent of kindergarten students, 15 percent of first graders, 20 percent of second graders and 21 percent of third graders are enrolled in VA.
Barbara Bush Primary also has an 18 percent (59 of 336 students) VA enrollment: 12 percent of kindergarteners, 18 percent of first graders, 22 percent of second graders nad 18 percent of third graders.
Travis Primary’s VA enrollment is 21 percent: 23 percent of kindergarteners, 20 percent of first graders, 22 percent of second graders and 19 percent of third graders.
Sulphur Springs Elementary has 612 students, including 107 VA learners (17 percent.) Overall, that’s 52 of the 304 fourth graders (17 percent) and 55 of the 308 fifth graders (18 percent) at SSES who attend VA.
Sulphur Springs Middle School has 1,009 students this year, including 193 VA students (19 percent). Of the 318 sixth graders, 57 (18 percent) attend VA. Nineteen percent (69 students) of all seventh graders attend VA. At SSMS, 21 percent (67 or 326 students) of eighth graders are VA learners.
